HUBERT and JAN VAN EYCK: The Ghent Altarpiece (wings closed), 1432, Oil on wood, 350 x 223 cm, Cathedral of St Bavo, Ghent. The realism of the figures of Adam and Eve at the far right and left on the open altarpiece struck contemporary viewers forcefully, and this style continues on the outside of the panels when the altarpiece is closed.

The Ghent Altarpiece - Jan van Eyck Observed naturalistic details, such as the effect of water seen through glass, the light reflecting in a horse’s eye, and botanically-identifiable plants. Monumental works with an intricate level of detail usually reserved for portrait miniatures and illuminated manuscripts. Unidealized nudes of Adam and Eve.